Woman jailed for 12 months for stealing €20,160 from employer

A law firm employee was jailed for 12 months by Paphos district court on Thursday for stealing €20,160 from a total of 55 cheques that were used to buy stamps for legal documents, the Cyprus News Agency has reported.

The woman employed, aged 37, appeared in court today to hear her sentence.

The judge noted the gravity of her offence but also the mitigating circumstances cited by her defence lawyer, including an agreement to compensate her employers. The defence also said that she had young children and her husband was addicted to gambling.

The defendant admitted to stealing money which she said she had returned. The specific amount for which she was charged she said she had not had the time to return.

The defendant would use cheques of a higher value to buy the stamps, and pocket the change in cash.